carrying the mail and small express packages between the settlements of
Rainbow Ridge and Golden Crossing. Mr. Bailey and Jack lived on the
outskirts of Rainbow Ridge.

This was in the Rocky Mountain country of one of our western states, and
the trails were so wild and winding, and, for that matter, so unsafe, that
it was out of the question to use a mail or stage coach between the two
places.

From Rainbow Ridge, however, there was a stage route going east, which took
the mail and express matter as it was brought in by Mr. Bailey. And from
Golden Crossing going west the same arrangement was made. Golden Crossing
was a settlement on the banks of the Ponto River, a small enough stream in
ordinary times, but which was wild and dangerous during heavy rains or
freshets.

So the pony express, as run by Mr. Bailey, was the only regular means of
communication between Golden Crossing and Rainbow Ridge. It was of
importance, too, for often valuable mail and packages went through, the
route being shorter and quicker than by a roundabout stage line.

When Mrs. Watson was out of sight around a bend in the trail, Jack went
into the cottage. It really was a cottage, though when Mr. Bailey first
brought his family to the West it had been but a cabin, or shack. But Mr.
Bailey and his wife had labored hard to make it more of a "home," and they
had succeeded very well. Then came the sad occasion of Mrs. Bailey's
illness and death, and for a time life had seemed very hard to Jack and his
father.

The latter had been interested in mines, but found the work too difficult